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Theodore Bear said Good-night to Cassandra and Jeffrey and
George and soon all was quiet in the house.
He got out his backpack and opened it.
"It has been such an exciting day but I think I had better pack up
tonight to be ready to leave after breakfast in the morning," Theodore thought
to himself and picked up the honey bottle.
"Dear me, this is nearly empty, there is only a sip or two left," he
sighed, "and somehow my bows are starting to look a bit creased after being
carried around in my backpack for such a long time. Oh no, my blue one is
fraying and coming loose. I had not noticed that before." Theodore tried to spread his bows out nice
and straight on a cushion for the night and then placed his brush and the red
spotted handkerchief next to the backpack.
"I will wear my green bow like I always do for travelling," and Theodore
smiled at the thought. He hung his
walking cane on the arm of the chair.
"There that is all ready. Now for
a good sleep," and Theodore settled down for the night.

Theodore
Remembers

Theodore Bear put out the light and made himself
comfortable. He could see the big golden
full moon shining through the window and then closed his eyes. But he just could not fall asleep. He turned over. "Today was so exciting," he mused and began
to think about the lake and the big ship.
Then he thought about Jenny Bear and Miss Festival Bear and the concert
and the fireworks. "That was so
enjoyable,” he remembered and was still wide awake. Earth Bear and the beautiful Mountain Park
and Daisy Bear, Oscar Bear and Timmy and the sandcastle and the four bears,
Frederick Bear and that wonderful drumming evening, Duty Bear at the big
airport, Benjamin and Barbara Bear's little guesthouse, Ferdinand Bear, Hernando Bear and Merlena Bear's happy
birthday party. . . One by one all these
lovely memories flooded through Theodore's mind and he re-lived the amazing
travels and experiences he had had and all that he had seen and learnt. "What good friends I have. I would so like to
see them all again soon," and he sighed a deep contented sigh and slowly
drifted off to sleep.

Theodore's
makes up his Mind

The next morning Theodore was awake early. He jumped up and rushed over to his backpack. He took out his Super Special Concession air
ticket and looked at it carefully. "Yes,
it is still valid for one more flight," he said to himself, "and the idea I had
in the night is the right one. The
clever people say you should sleep on an idea and that is what I did. I will tell Cassandra and George and Jeffrey
about it at breakfast and I am sure they will like my new plan." Theodore quickly brushed his fur before arranging
the brush and the red spotted handkerchief next to each other in his backpack.
"Hmmm, these look a little straighter today," he said as he picked up his bows
from the cushion and placed them all gently on top. He fastened the buckles carefully and then
tied the green bow neatly around his neck.
He heard that the other bears were up too and it was time to join
them around the table under the big tree
again. "Good morning, Everybody,"
Theodore greeted and smiled broadly.

Theodore's New
Plan

"Good morning, Theodore," the bears replied and Cassandra
said, "Please, help yourselves to fruit
and nuts and juice. There is also
raspberry tea if anyone would prefer that."
Breakfast was a happy occasion and soon Cassandra asked the question on
everyone's mind. "Theodore, we are
seeing you off at the airport today but you still have not told us where you
are going. You have such a cheerful
twinkle in your eye this morning – what are you planning?" Theodore smiled again and began, "You will be
very surprised to hear where I am going.
I have a new plan and from here I am heading home! Yes, indeed, I am going back to my little
house in the desert, but not for long. I
have a special plan and I will tell you about it now." "Well, we are surprised," all three bears
said almost together, "we thought you would be travelling for a long time still
and visiting all the exotic places in the world. What is your plan? Please tell us."

Till we get
Together again

"Last night I almost felt homesick!" Theodore Bear said with
a sheepish smile. "I was thinking about all the wonderful Bear Friends that
I met at Merlena Bear's party and then
spent lovely times with along the way while travelling and I would so like to
see them all again. It will be my birthday
soon so I thought I would go home for a while and invite everybody to come and
celebrate it with me. Cassandra, Jeffrey
and George, you are the first ones to get your invitation and please do
come. There will be a birthday cake
and plenty of snacks and we will sing and play games and Frederick Bear and I
will show you how we learned to drum together.
I am so excited I can hardly wait.
You will come, won't you?" "Yes,
yes, of course we will come," all three bears shouted together. "What a marvellous idea, Theodore, we can
hardly wait to see everybody again too," they said. And the bears were so happy that they linked
paws and danced around the table together. "A Party, a Party, oh what fun. That's as good as said and done." they sang in deep growly
voices and cheered and shook paws. Then it was time to set off for the airport.

As they walked along the bears watched some of the small
boats moored next to the wooden walkways being prepared for sailing. They saw the owners put on their life jackets
and loosen the ropes before starting the engines and expertly guiding their
crafts between the others. "It all
looked so easy," commented George Bear.
"Yes," said Cassandra with a smile, "when you know how. Today is lovely weather and smooth sailing
but it can be a bit choppy when the wind blows. When a gale is expected the
harbor is closed to traffic as it could be dangerous." Theodore shook his head. "I still don't think I would like to be in
such a small boat," he said and the others laughed but agreed with him. "No," said Jeffrey and Cassandra, "we would
rather be on firm ground." They walked on, went out through the turnstile and
headed homewards.

Tomorrow's Plan

That evening after supper Theodore was very thoughtful for a
while then he said, "Cassandra, I have really enjoyed spending time with you
here. Thank you so much for everything
and especially for taking me on the cruise today. That was a lovely trip but tomorrow I must be
on the move again. I still have my Super
Special Concession Ticket so would like to go to the airport and catch a
plane. George and Jeffrey, it was good
to see you too and I hope you will still have many fine opportunities to attend
special events with your suits and flags."
"It was wonderful to have you here, Theodore," said Cassandra and George
and Jeffrey nodded in agreement, "and I hope you will visit me again one day.
We will come with to the airport tomorrow to see you off. For now we need to
catch up on some sleep and maybe dream of faraway places. All this talk of traveling gives me itchy
feet to go too."

George and Jeffrey Bear waved their little flags excitedly
and said, "Yes, this is our first cruise and we are having a great time." Theodore nodded and Cassandra explained that
she had sailed on the lake before. "Do
you all live here? I hope you will join
us on another cruise," the Captain said.
"I live here," replied Cassandra, "but my friends are just visiting. Theodore has been traveling for a while
already." Theodore smiled broadly and
told the Captain some of the interesting things he had seen and done since he
started out. "It has been a wonderful experience," he said, "I have enjoyed
every day and wish everyone could travel to see new places." For a moment the Captain looked
thoughtful. "Once I was Captain of a
ship that took cargo all over the world so I have travelled too. It was indeed wonderful, so keep going,
Theodore." The bears shook paws with the
Captain again and thanked him for the visit.
"Bon Voyage," he said, "till next time."

A View from the
Top

By now the ship was already
on the way back to the harbor and Theodore could see the entrance in the
distance. "Now we know a little more
about how the ship sails safely in and out of the harbor," he said and stood close
to the window to watch. "I would like to
stand at the front of the open deck to get a really good view," he said
later. "Good idea," agreed the other
bears and they hurried up the stairs.
The ship slowed down, sailed slowly into the harbor and edged its way to
the mooring place. The thick ropes were
once again fastened to the bollards on the quayside and the crane lifted the
gangplank securely. It was time to disembark and the bears felt quite sad that
all the excitement of the cruise was over.
They walked along with the crowd but stepped back to have a last look at
the ship. "Oh, take note," said Theodore
and laughed, "look at the ship's name. Joybelle!" "How fitting," said George. And it was.